I was just watching MSNBC, where the grandmother of a toddler who died in a hot car said to give her daughter a break...tragic accidents happen, and it's not the community's role to call for the parent's head on a platter.
This is negligence resulting in death. What IS the proper punishment?
P.S. The parent had done this twice before.
2007-09-11 05:42:07 · 15 answers · asked by Bill 6 in Politics & Government ➔ Law Enforcement & Police
Middle school assistant principal, left her 2-year old strapped in the car for EIGHT FREAKING HOURS while she was at work in the school.
No charges? Give me a freaking break.
2007-09-11 05:44:18 · update #1
Criminally Negligent Homicide. If the prosecutor won't get the balls to charge her, hand the case to me as a special prosecutor, I'll happily bring the bad mom to trial.
2007-09-11 05:53:48 · answer #1 · answered by LawGunGuy 3 · 3⤊ 0⤋
If the parent had done this twice before-shouldn't her spouse (if any?) or some other adult.. Like perhaps the grandmother or even someone from the county be checking up on her A LOT ! I mean, maybe, maybe once- accidents DO happen... All be it ! A terrible tragedy that SHOULDN'T happen and any responsible parents wouldn't let it happen... Her children should've been taken away the first/second time.. She should have to do community service picking up trash in the blazing heat for 8-10 hours a day. Or serving jail time....
There was another instance of a grandmother leaving her toddler in the car while she went to go and visit friends.. She simply forget the child was in the car.. The toddler had fallen asleep.. The grandmother was visting some friends and never mentioned having the child with her so no one bothered the woman when she then fell asleep during the visit.. !!! A passerby noticed the toddler but, it was too late. What should've happened to the grandmother? Do we punish the parents or the grandmother?
These type of "accidents" are happening all too often- Should neglectful parents be punished for their "crime" ? Or is losing a child more than enough punishment.? That's a tough call. The other day, I was loading the kids into the car- I as usual threw the keys in the front so I could fasten the little one in the carseat... The passenger front was open and my toddler was standing by the door... He was being "helpful" and he shut the door with the keys on the seat.. The rest of the car was locked... !!!! Fortunately, the car has the number pad- and I was able to unlock the doors w/o incident.. Although, I would've broken the window if necessary... My point is it NEVER occured to me NOT to put the car keys/purse etc.. on the passenger seat.. I was distracted... Does that make me neglectful.. I suppose.. However, this DOES make me think twice about grandparents watching the children... ???
2007-09-11 06:03:43 · answer #2 · answered by pebblespro 7 · 1⤊ 0⤋
That is not an accident, at best is willful misconduct...at worst, since it has happened previously and the parent did the same thing twice previously, they should be charged with murder.
It makes me sick to see these cases where nothing happens. Locally, a woman left her toddler in the car, a woman saw it, waited 10 mins for the parent to arrive (they didn't) then summoned security and security broke the window to get the child out. The police were called and although the child was only "slightly dehydrated" they also found the todder in an infant carseat that was too small, the seat was not belted into the car and the car was rampant with cockroaches. The mother was found inside and said she had just run in to get a prescription and only thought it would take a few minutes (was in the store 30 mins plus before arriving at the car). They didn't arrest her, but escorted her and the child home to find 5 more kids being watched by an older child with more than one in a dirty diaper. The mother was charged with anything because she was indigent.
The laws need to be changed so that it is a crime that it shouldn't matter if you are too poor or too well connected; if you leave a child under a certain age alone in a car (say less than age 3) it starts as neglect/child endangerment and it should not be at the police officer's discretion, but mandatory arrest and reporting.
2007-09-11 06:24:42 · answer #3 · answered by bottleblondemama 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Initially I was going to say that if it were accidental but since you mentioned that this is the third time, I would say that the charges should be.
Reckless endangerment
Child cruelty
Negligent homicide, but since she has done this twice before perhaps she should be charged with premeditated murder.
Life without possibility of parole, perhaps even the death penalty because of the special circumstances of two other events.
This is by no means an accident and needs to be dealt with the hardest of punishments.
2007-09-11 05:52:56 · answer #4 · answered by justgetitright 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋
I don't mean to just beat the liberal drum but things like parenting classes, and a more supportive system for single parents would prevent this kind of accident. Maybe the mom had to work a double shift or whatever and couldn't take her kids anywhere else.
These answers about frying the offending mom are stupid. Do you think a woman likes having to stuff her kids in the car all day? I bet she wishes she could put them in a nice expensive day care where they learn Mandarin Chinese. I bet their daddy is out at some bar drowning himself in booze and entertaining himself with his new girlfriends. He probably has some shiny new sports car but doesn't have to pay any child support.
See how this stuff happens? Maybe.
If you are going to arrest her, then you should arrest the dead beat daddy, the employer that pays her crummy wages, and all the other yahoos who are at fault here.
2007-09-11 08:48:48 · answer #5 · answered by anothercrazyho 2 · 0⤊ 2⤋
i had not heard that she had done it before ? is there a neurological / memory / medical disorder ? is she under that much stress she can't remember ?
i don't know ... it almost seems that it's like a manslaughter type of thing . you don't intend to kill someone , it's an accident , but nonetheless , they are dead .
be aware that there may be more information than we are being made aware of ??
It's tragic for the child and all the family. I'm not sure they could deal with a loss of the mom too ?
2007-09-11 06:41:54 · answer #6 · answered by Mildred S 6 · 0⤊ 0⤋
If the parent has done this twice before, obviously they have established a pattern here. This is the third time, then there was premeditation on the parents part. They should be charged with murder and never see the light of day again. People like that should be sterilized...
2007-09-11 05:48:39 · answer #7 · answered by Marco R 4 · 4⤊ 1⤋
Proper punishment would be to lock the parent in a hot car to die the same miserable painful death as the child for whose welfare they were completely responsible.
Realistically, life without parole. And sterilization so they could never again have a child.
2007-09-11 05:51:55 · answer #8 · answered by Leah 6 · 2⤊ 1⤋
Have we really gotten so busy that we forget our children in the car? Forget about the heat, you NEVER leave a kid in the car for ANY reason. In my not so humble opinion, it is criminal neglect and child endangerment and should be prosecuted to the full extent of the law. Children are not accidents, they didnt ask for the parents they have, it is up to us to ensure that all adults act in a responcible way when it comes to dealing with them.
2007-09-11 06:00:58 · answer #9 · answered by pink 6 · 2⤊ 0⤋
I'd like to see her jailed for a long time in that jail in Arizona! Tent living with no Air conditioning for about 15 years! I wish there was a way to require a license to parent!!!
2007-09-11 05:52:00 · answer #10 · answered by Wounded Duck 7 · 2⤊ 0⤋